Guelph Community Foundation Grants Over $20,000 Through RBC Future Launch Community Challenge

Grants To Fund Youth-led Projects In Guelph

By Guelph Now Local News

Guelph Community Foundation Grants Over $20,000 To Fund Youth-led Projects

(Guelph, ON) Today, The Guelph Community Foundation (GCF) announced $21,863.00 in grants to support youth-led projects developed to address the immediate mental health challenges in our community. Through the RBC Future Launch Community Challenge, the RBC Foundation has provided a $15,000 grant as well as an additional $6,863.00 from GCF donor advised funds.

Grant recipients include:

• Conversation Circles, in support of Shelldale Family Gateway - a program that connects youth through the facilitation of educational services. This grant will support the process of overcoming academic and social barriers by leveraging collective resiliency and skill-building capabilities.

• Youth Substance Use Project (YSUP), in support of the Guelph Community Health Centre - a research-based initiative that engages youth in preventative advocacy for substance abuse. This grant will enhance qualitative research efforts and foster channels for vital community conversations.

• Our Voices, Our Future, in support of the Integrated Youth Services Network – an initiative that will bring to life a centralized, integrated network of mental health services and supports, directed at youth ages 12 to 26, accessed from multiple locations throughout Guelph and Wellington County. This grant will support a Youth Engagement Coordinator to ensure the voices of youth are front and centre in the planning process.

The goal of the RBC Future Launch Community Challenge is to enable youth to receive funding to support their ideas to address urgent community priorities. It is an opportunity for young people to lead, learn new skills, gain experience, and build relationships in their local communities -- all things that will help them prepare for the future of work.

“RBC is committed to the power, vision and potential of youth, and the important role they play in their communities,” says Jamie Clinch, Regional Vice President, RBC. “We are thrilled to see the results of this important partnership with Community Foundations of Canada helping make a difference in Guelph and Wellington County.”

“We want to thank all of the youth and their partner charities that submitted thoughtful and innovative applications, says Chris Willard, Executive Director, The Guelph

Community Foundation. “We are grateful to be able to support these important initiatives developed by youth that will make a difference in their future and in our community.”

In the spring of 2020, GCF and RBC will also bring youth and community members together for ‘Vital Conversations’, community dialogues focused on creating a better future together.

About The Guelph Community Foundation

The Guelph Community Foundation is a charitable public foundation whose purpose is to provide leadership in community philanthropy and enhance the quality of life for the citizens of Guelph and surrounding areas. The Foundation pools the charitable gifts of donors into permanent, interest earning endowments. The income from the endowments supports a range of charitable programs and activities. Currently, the Foundation administers $10.5 million in permanent endowed assets. Since inception in 2000, $5.4 million has been distributed to more than 950 charitable programs.

About RBC Future Launch Community Challenge

The RBC Future Launch Community Challenge is hosted by Community Foundations of Canada and participating community foundations, and is made possible thanks to a $5M donation from RBC Foundation. It is part of RBC Future Launch, a commitment by RBC and the RBC Foundation to empower Canadian youth for the jobs of tomorrow. Over the next 10 years, RBC Future Launch is dedicating $500 million to help young people access meaningful employment through practical work experience, skills development opportunities, networking solutions and mental well-being supports and services..